Cheika was a relieved man after Australia clawed back from 14-3 down early in the Test before overhauling the Springboks for their first win in this year’s Rugby Championship after two heavy defeats to New Zealand.
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Then penalties to Foley either side of half-time – the second after a yellow card to lock Eten Eztebeth – gave Australia a slender 16-14 edge.
They have not tasted victory since, however, racking up six successive losses from the Twickenham final defeat through the 3-0 June series reverse at the hands of England to two more losses to the All Blacks at the start of the Rugby Championship.
“We were lucky. My parents saw Zimbabwe was not doing too well and didn’t have a great future, so we got out”, he said.
“To be able to link with the current Australian Conference Champion is something I am extremely grateful for and I’m really looking forward to this next chapter of my career at the Brumbies”.
South Africa: Goosen, Habana, Kriel, de Jongh, Hougaard; Jantjies, de Klerk; Whiteley, Mohoje, Louw, de Jager, Etzebeth, Adriaanse, Strauss, Mtawarira. We certainly came out with some intent, and they matched it.
South Africa fought back with a Morne Steyn try but could not make the most of their chances and Australia held on for their first win in six Test matches.
A Foley penalty reduced the deficit and rewarded Australia pressure, but the Springboks crossed again on 18 minutes when Adriaan Strauss intercepted and Johan Goosen finished off a move up field.
But there were some bad early signs with Warren Whiteley providing the tourists’ first try inside the opening three minutes.
The Wallabies face another stern scrum challenge this weekend, against Argentina and Grey said one win would not change their outlook. “We made a decision to play a different way this year so we’ve had to build on what we wanted to get across in those first few games”.
The Genia-Cooper partnership is still strong, Coleman makes a good impression but Australia needs a No.8.
Momentum began to swing in the home side’s favour after the restart, with Springbok lock Eben Etzbeth sent to the bin for 10 minutes before Foley scored the crucial try to give Australia their first points of the tournament.
Schoolboys in the Brisbane State High GPS premiership team would have carried the ball in the left arm rather than have a try ruined when centre Samu Kerevi was tackled in the corner.
The Wallabies continued to press, however, and one sustained 18-phase attack culminated in Foley cutting through the defensive line to roll over the line and score under the posts.
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The All Blacks, however, looked just as risky when they did get their hands on the ball with Julian Savea, Barrett and Ben Smith crossing for first-half tries, which the fly-half converted, while Israel Dagg slotted a long-range penalty.
